EFT-1 September, 2014 launch date “paced” by the Delta IV-H

November 7, 2012 by Chris Bergin

The first test launch of NASA’s new Orion spacecraft is currently being paced by its “surrogate” launch vehicle, the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV-Heavy. The EFT-1 carrier rocket is already in production and in the launch queue, according to ULA, while the EFT-1 Orion continues to undergo outfitting operations at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC).

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The launch date has slipped several times, with the latest September, 2014 target confirmed at the latest meeting of NASA’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP) – conducted at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston.

“EFT-1 remains on schedule for September 2014. The pacing element for this flight is the surrogate launch vehicle; the capsule itself is well on the path to testing,” noted the meeting’s minutes, pointing to the September, 2014 launch date being known for some time. “That flight will be followed by the uncrewed Exploration Mission (EM)-1 in the fourth quarter of CY2017.”

The ASAP comments do appear to match notes acquired earlier in the year, which also pointed a finger at the Delta IV-H, as opposed to the EFT-1 Orion, as the main scheduling item. However, ULA claimed they were on track for the previous spring launch date for EFT-1.

“The LV for EFT-1 is in our production and launch queue and production is underway. The projected launch date has been agreed to between ULA, LM (Lockheed Marting) and NASA and ULA (and) is on track,” noted noted Dr George Sowers, ULA VP for Human Launch Services, during a Q&A session with NASASpaceFlight.com members.

“If Orion is planning to an earlier date, that is prudent since it’s the first flight for the spacecraft and there’s more risk. The Delta IV rocket, on the other hand, is a mature product.”

For the purchase of the required Delta IV-Heavy, Lockheed Martin had to work a deal with NASA for purchasing one of the launch vehicles, a deal which is then updated to one between Lockheed Martin and the United Launch Alliance (ULA). Lockheed Martin and Boeing make up the ULA, the joint company is the body responsible for the Delta IV-H.

The mission itself – involving two orbits to a high-apogee, with a high-energy re-entry through Earth’s atmosphere on what is a multi-hour test, testing critical re-entry flight performance data and demonstrating early integration capabilities – is a vital step in NASA’s Beyond Earth Orbit (BEO) ambitions.

“EFT-1: Earth Orbit, High Energy Re-entry: This Lockheed Martin led operation – with NASA providing support and exercising an insight function – will be the first test of the Orion MPCV,” noted the document.

“The EFT-1 mission will orbit the Earth twice in a highly elliptical orbit and will re-entry the Earth’s atmosphere at higher speeds and energy than a low altitude orbital mission.”